Parental attitude and the relationship with intrinsic religious motivation: A quantitative research on adult individuals

This study investigates how parental attitudes experienced during childhood influence individuals' religious beliefs, motivations, and religious conversion in adulthood. In the study, 186 adults were sampled, and a survey technique was employed to examine the relationship between parental attitudes and individuals' religious orientation, motivation, and religious conversion. The research revealed that individuals raised with a democratic attitude exhibited a more positive perception of religion, higher internal religious motivation, and less inclination towards religious transformation. Conversely, those who experienced an excessively protective/indulgent parental attitude demonstrated lower internal religious motivation, a tendency away from externally motivated religiosity, and a higher propensity towards adopting a more secular lifestyle and undergoing religious changes. Finally, it was concluded that individuals raised with an authoritarian attitude exhibited lower religious motivation and were more prone to embracing a secular lifestyle and experiencing religious conversion.